# What British Car Is This? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 11, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856 "2005-04-11T21:42:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/1 "2005-04-11T21:42:43Z")
Someone had a friend drop by work with a fancy, British car costing $400,000. He chauffers this seemingly long sedan with a sleek, but nondistinct body. I think it was a called a “Hibuck”? I suppose it’s up there with Bentleys and Rolls Royces. Anyone know the correct name of this car? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/2 "2005-04-11T21:45:24Z")
Sure it’s not the German [Maybach](http://www.forbes.com/2002/11/11/cx_mf_1111feat.html)? An old name now recovered, it’s Mercedes’ high-end line. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/3 "2005-04-11T23:06:32Z")
It definitely requires some high bucks to purchase one. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/4 "2005-04-12T04:54:43Z")
Hijack… What type of car is shown in the Mr.Bean episodes? I can’t beleive that 3 wheel cars are still made today. ---
**Author:** ![St\_Ides](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@St\_Ides](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St_Ides)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/5 "2005-04-12T05:32:34Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > Hijack… > > What type of car is shown in the Mr.Bean episodes? I can’t beleive that 3 wheel cars are still made today. Robin Reliant, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/6 "2005-04-12T07:17:16Z")
> [@St\_Ides](#): > > Robin Reliant, I believe. That’s [Reliant Robin](http://www.3wheelers.com/robin.html). (Robin is the model name, made by Reliant Motors.) I don’t think they are made now, but they were until surprisingly recently, if you read that page. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/7 "2005-04-12T07:40:57Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > Hijack… > > What type of car is shown in the Mr.Bean episodes? I can’t beleive that 3 wheel cars are still made today. Why should it be so surprising? A stool only needs 3 legs to work. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/8 "2005-04-12T08:48:24Z")
Reliant Robin, not exactly pretty, but of course because it only had three wheels, you save on road tax and insurance because it was technically classed as a motorcycle with side car, not a car. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/9 "2005-04-12T11:39:50Z")
Robin Reliants had two character traits, the ability to turn around on the spot, and the ability to tip over if cornering too quickly or driving in windy conditions. As for the OP I cannot for the life of me think of a British car that fits your description, there are so few truly British car manufacturers left that it would be hard for one to slip under the radar. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/10 "2005-04-12T11:59:18Z")
From the information given, I can only agree with **manhattan’s** spot-on response. The Maybach is the only European car of that description other than Bentleys and Rollers, AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![Arwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Arwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arwin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/11 "2005-04-12T12:01:14Z")
> [@Dead Cat](#): > > From the information given, I can only agree with **manhattan’s** spot-on response. The Maybach is the only European car of that description other than Bentleys and Rollers, AFAIK. Yeah, it does seem likely - they’re the most likely to show up over there, also. You do have Jaguar limos, but I’m not so sure they come in that pricerange. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Mahma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/12 "2005-04-12T14:20:19Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Why should it be so surprising? A stool only needs 3 legs to work. Stools don’t have to corner. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/13 "2005-04-12T16:12:53Z")
> [@Joe Mahma](#): > > Stools don’t have to corner. As anyone who’s seen a three year old tear around on a tricycle or Big Wheel can tell you, three wheelers can do a number of amazing things without ever toppling over, even making sharp turns. The driver just has to know what they’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/14 "2005-04-12T17:03:33Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > As anyone who’s seen a three year old tear around on a tricycle or Big Wheel can tell you, three wheelers can do a number of amazing things without ever toppling over, even making sharp turns. The driver just has to know what they’re doing. A low center of gravity helps, too. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/15 "2005-04-12T17:10:15Z")
> [@The Sonoran Lizard King](#): > > A low center of gravity helps, too. Right, because as we know, any vehicle with a high CG, like those found in SUVs, automatically turns a vehicle into a deathtrap, just waiting to flipover at a moment’s notice. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/16 "2005-04-12T17:16:26Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Why should it be so surprising? A stool only needs 3 legs to work. You know, you generally don’t see three legged stools anymore. I don’t think that you could get a 3 legged stool for use in a work setting because of OSHA standards. I have not seen any chair or stool in the workplace with less than 5 legs for a very long time. A three legged stool will stay standing, but they are easier to tip than the 5 legged ones for a stool that takes up about the same amount of floor space. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/17 "2005-04-12T17:21:22Z")
Another three-wheeled vehicle: the [Corbin Sparrow](http://www.sparrowelectriccars.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/18 "2005-04-12T17:21:46Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > You know, you generally don’t see three legged stools anymore. I don’t think that you could get a 3 legged stool for use in a work setting because of OSHA standards. I have not seen any chair or stool in the workplace with less than 5 legs for a very long time. > > A three legged stool will stay standing, but they are easier to tip than the 5 legged ones for a stool that takes up about the same amount of floor space. I’ve never seen a five legged stool. They probably exist, along with twelve legged stools, but I’ve never seen one. It’s all in how it’s designed and how well a thing’s operated that determines how safe it is. If three wheeled vehicles were a serious hazard, then trykes and motorcycles with sidecars would have been banned from the roads years ago. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/19 "2005-04-12T17:47:15Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > I’ve never seen a five legged stool. They probably exist, along with twelve legged stools, but I’ve never seen one. It’s all in how it’s designed and how well a thing’s operated that determines how safe it is. If three wheeled vehicles were a serious hazard, then trykes and motorcycles with sidecars would have been banned from the roads years ago. [http://www.grant-ent.com/safco/labstools.htm](http://www.grant-ent.com/safco/labstools.htm) It does look like you can get a wide variety of 4 legged stools. I agree that design and operation determine how safe something is. Things designed with 3 legs/wheels will tip over easier than those with 4 given approximately the same ground area taken up. The car pictured is not a motorcycle. It may be classified as such but that is just because the regulations have a loophole large enough to drive a weird looking vehicle through. I am sure that it is intended to be driven like a car and not a motorcycle. The fact that they have not been banned does not say that much about their safety. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856/20 "2005-04-12T20:11:29Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > As anyone who’s seen a three year old tear around on a tricycle or Big Wheel can tell you, three wheelers can do a number of amazing things without ever toppling over, even making sharp turns. The driver just has to know what they’re doing. A tricycle rider can lean his/her body into a turn. A car body cannot. Actually, 3-wheel vehicles with two front wheels (like the early Morgans) are very stable. The kind with one front wheel is not as stable. This is because cornering force is towards the front of the vehicle. The rear axle is fixed and points to the center of the turning circle, so the center of turn is towards the rear of the vehicle, and centrifugal force is directly away from that point. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-british-car-is-this/298856.md?page=2)